ok…So I have had the car for about 2 weeks now and have a serious question. Top speed on some sites for an S1 is 137 mph. My car pulls so so strongly to about 120 an then seems to lose momentum. I run out of road after that! I have had my F355 to 170 on the same stretch, so it isn’t that long! How fast should it be at the top end? Any opinions greatly recieved!
Ed
How fast should it be at the top end? Any opinions greatly recieved!
Who the f*** cares, cos the Exige is about track, not road speed For what it’s worth, managed to squeeze a not very comfy 130+ out of mine a couple of years ago in France.
Who the f*** cares, cos the Exige is about track, not road speed For what it’s worth, managed to squeeze a not very comfy 130+ out of mine a couple of years ago in France. [/quote]
Yeah…OK. I know what you are thinking! Don’t get me wrong, I love the car as she is, but was a little worried when she ran out of grunt at 120ish. My S1 Elise could do 125 in standard trim. No where near as fast to 120 though! I was just wondering about the quoted 136mph in mags!
Ed
Ed
The size of S1’s front splitter & rear wing are great for the corners, but are unfortunately a big hinderence as far as top speed goes. (That’s one of the reasons why the S2 has a quoted top speed approaching 150mph).
ive had 150mph (edge of the clock) at 7500rpm. Its still on the standard gearbox, till i get round to changing the final drive then i think it would go off the clock to about 160 maybe just over.
ive had 150mph (edge of the clock) at 7500rpm.
Needed an �11K supercharger to get there though
gumball
my opinion on this is pretty much the same as Pesky’s… i can’t recall ever trying to see what the v max is in my exige but i regularly see 110-120 at track-days and it would go a bit faster i’m sure… but hey… who gives a 54it ehh… … it definately no 355,
Ed,
I was clocked at 131 on the radar at Bruntingthorpe when doing the lunchtime speed test, that was two up and my car is a 190 with the UCR. For comparison my mates 4.5 Cerbera was showing 164 on the radar at the same marker.
Mark…
And at 120 it’s like hitting a brick wall in the Exige, that must be the crossover between power and aero drag…
Hmmm, I had mine at an indicated (speedo) 139MPH on the motorway.
This was back then when it was 177 BHP and it took a while to get there.
Dunno about now, but I’ve lost interest on top speed, after constantly hitting 180MPH on the bike at Monza.
Top speed is easy. It’s the braking for the frst turn that is an eye opener.
Lap after lap…
I had 139 out of my standard 177 (with 2 people & luggage in it) on the way to Le Mans last year - it did take a while to get there and you have to do most of that in fourth before changing up. It feels like it is quicker now I have the 190 upgrade but haven’t been able to test it yet . I believe the quoted top speed for an Exige is 136mph.
This is pretty much what I thought! I have no issues with the car. I really love it, and have no regrets! I will have to go out and find a bigger section of road! The acceleration really doesn’t feel that far from the Ferrari and the bills are nowhere near as bad, so it is win win at the moment!
Ed
136 sounds about right. Unfortunately the Exige has the aerodynamics of a brick as all the bling bling add ons are only for show and add loads of drag. Remember also that the speedo will most likely read fast. Mine is about 3mph to fast at anything over a ton.
…all the bling bling add ons are only for show and add loads of drag.
I know they add drag, but why are they bling if their purpose is downforce?
Ian
but was a little worried when she ran out of grunt at 120ish
Worried about what ? Obviously it’s irrelevant on UK roads, and on UK tracks you’re unlikely to need faster than that either.
…all the bling bling add ons are only for show and add loads of drag.
I know they add drag, but why are they bling if their purpose is downforce?
Ian
The Exige body does add some downforce but its very inefficient. The shape hasn’t been optimised at all and really is more form than function, that is why an Elise on equal tires with equal engine is quicker than an Exige (along with the weight advantage).
Looks the absolute knuts though .
but was a little worried when she ran out of grunt at 120ish
Worried about what ? Obviously it’s irrelevant on UK roads, and on UK tracks you’re unlikely to need faster than that either.
It isn’t always about British roads though! There are a few quiet areas round here that are long enough for a blast. I didn’t by the car for all out speed. It is always nice to have it there though!
Ed
The Exige body does add some downforce but its very inefficient. The shape hasn’t been optimised at all and really is more form than function…
Tis’ true that they styled it before they engineered the S1 (other way round for the S2 I believe) but I thought 80kgs (for the S1, before Edwards diffuser/spliter) was quite a bit for a roadcar (10% extra weight at 100mph). I think the Elise has lift at that speed, so would surely be slower through the most thrilling bends (Craner, Bridge, Eau Rogue, etc).
Fully agree on the looks though!
Ian
I think the Elise has lift at that speed
It certainly does, My standard S1 felt horrible above 90!
The steering and the rear felt very very loose at speed!
The Exige body does add some downforce but its very inefficient. The shape hasn’t been optimised at all and really is more form than function…
Tis’ true that they styled it before they engineered the S1 (other way round for the S2 I believe) but I thought 80kgs (for the S1, before Edwards diffuser/spliter) was quite a bit for a roadcar (10% extra weight at 100mph). I think the Elise has lift at that speed, so would surely be slower through the most thrilling bends (Craner, Bridge, Eau Rogue, etc).
Fully agree on the looks though!
Ian
The 80kg of downforce is useful on the fast bends but it comes with a massive drag penalty. Its the lift/drag ratio that is the important bit.
FYI, Russ T mentioned to me that his motorsport wing improved the top speed quite a bit.